Americano Will Trump fall for Putin's trap?
Aug 21, 2025
Owen Matthews, Associate Editor for The Spectator and author examining the Russia-Ukraine conflict, teams up with Sergey Radchenko, a Johns Hopkins professor specializing in international relations. They delve into Trump's recent engagements with Putin and Zelensky, questioning if these are genuine moves towards peace or cleverly laid traps. The duo highlights the complexities of U.S.-Russia negotiations and critiques the effectiveness of European sanctions, all while contemplating the future of Ukraine amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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Putin's Public Charm Offensive
- Putin aims to appear reasonable to Trump while shifting blame onto Zelensky and appearing as the negotiator.
- This reframing could isolate Ukraine by making Trump see Zelensky as the obstructionist.
Summits Were More Theater Than Policy
- The Alaska summit was a domestic victory for Putin because it signalled Russia's return to the international stage.
- That gain is mostly atmospherics; substantive concessions from Russia remain absent.
Widening The Agenda To Entice Trump
- Putin broadened talks beyond Ukraine to a superpower "reset" covering arms control, Arctic resources, and business.
- That strategy targets Trump's commercial instincts to keep him engaged despite little on-the-ground compromise.